Handcuffs are metal restraints that lock around a person's wrists to limit how much they can move their hands. Police officers use handcuffs when arresting someone to help keep the person from running away or causing harm. The two metal bracelets are connected by a short chain or hinge, and they click tight with a ratcheting mechanism that can be opened with a special key.

You've probably seen handcuffs in movies or TV shows, where officers say “you're under arrest” and place them on a suspect's wrists, usually with the person's hands behind their back.

The word handcuff can also work as a verb: an officer handcuffs a suspect. People sometimes use the word figuratively too. If strict rules handcuff a teacher's ability to help students, those rules prevent the teacher from doing what they think is best. Similarly, a basketball team might feel handcuffed by injuries to key players, meaning those injuries severely limit what the team can accomplish.